Abstract
The book "Introduction to the Study of History" provides insight into selected issues reflecting the current state of Czech and Euroatlantic historiography in the 21st century. It is intended for those interested in history and for anyone looking to learn how to write scholarly texts.
Readers will familiarize themselves with a wide range of theoretical and methodological possibilities for approaching specific historical topics and receive basic guidance on how to prepare for writing seminar, qualification, and professional papers through further study. The book conveys introductory orientation about immensely complex topics such as the definition of history, philosophy of history, purpose and utility of history, the relationship of history to other academic disciplines, the development of history, periodization of history, territorial and thematic divisions of history, a multitude of subfields, interdisciplinary cooperation, and dynamically evolving theories, methodologies, and methods.
The book also delves into biographical, comparative, geographical, iconographic, structural, narrative approaches, quantitative and qualitative research methods, sociological approaches, methods of historical anthropology, cultural, economic, and social history, as well as memory studies, microhistory, discourse analysis, gender analysis, historical materialism, and postmodernity. It provides detailed attention to historical methodology and the structure of scholarly text.
Additionally, it offers specific guidance on the process of historical research, how to formulate a research problem, work with sources and other references, databases, electronic information sources, citation managers, how to conduct bibliographic research, handle footnotes, annotations, excerpts, and methods of presentation. Ethical aspects of scholarly work, publishing activities, popularization and popular culture, communication in academia, and research and study abroad are not overlooked either.